


I'm the Hero of this Story, Don't Need to Be Saved

by Nerdgirlproblems



Category: Glee
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-29
Updated: 2012-11-29
Packaged: 2017-11-19 19:19:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/576741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerdgirlproblems/pseuds/Nerdgirlproblems
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anderbros set during 4.07 but written before.</p><p>Title from the Regina Spektor song "Hero"</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm the Hero of this Story, Don't Need to Be Saved

Blaine stared at his cell for a good 10 minutes before he finally went to his speed dial and hit #2, trying not to linger on the name that still held the #1 spot. The phone barely seemed to ring before there was an answer.

“Blainey! Finally. You haven’t called me back in ages.”

“Coop. Um… think you could… help me make a superhero costume?”

“… We’re switching to Skype. Now.”

“… You’re pointing, aren’t you?”

“If we were on Skype, you’d see that. Now move, Squirt!”

Once the brothers were both logged in to Skype, Blaine found himself seeing his older brother’s face for the first time in months.

“Little Brother! It’s good to see you. You dropped off the face of the Earth lately.”

“Well, I’m here now. Can we just work on the costume?”

Cooper frowned. “Okay… What’s this for? An audition?”

“No. A glee club thing. I think it was Sam’s idea and… anyway, we’re all dressing as superheroes.”

“Sounds good to me. What did you have in mind? Maybe a Superman thing to go with your bow-tied Clark Kent persona?”

Blaine frowned. “Um, no, not that.”

“Okay… something Captain America-y? That movie’s pretty popular. And you know, I saw Chris Evans at the gym a few weeks ago. Nice guy, ripped.”

“No, Coop.” Blaine cut him off.

“Blaine, those are your two favorite heroes. You’re as dapper and all-American as those guys, anyway. Why not them?”

Blaine squirmed under his brother’s scrutiny even through the computer. “I don’t know. I just don’t feel very… heroic lately.”

Cooper’s eyes narrowed. “Does this have to do with that mysterious text I got in October after I so generously gave you the use of my frequent flyer miles? The one that said ‘we broke up, I don’t want to talk about it’? You know, the last time I heard from you until now?”

“Coop, can we not?” 

“No, we can’t ‘not.’ You know that Mom called me a few days ago? She was worried about you. And if it’s bad enough for Mom to notice and worry then it must be bad. And she said you turned down a lead role in the musical? Blaine! I taught you better than that! I practically raised you to play Danny Zuko!”

Blaine lowered his head. “I know, Coop. I just… couldn’t do it.”

“What happened, B?” Cooper’s voice was quiet and full of sympathy.

“I… I messed up. Big time.”

“How?”

Blaine swallowed hard. He hadn’t had to talk about it yet with anyone. Finn had told the other kids in glee, so he hadn’t spoken the words since that night in New York.

“I… I cheated on Kurt. I ruined everything.”

“You did what now?”

Blaine fought to held in his tears, still not able to look at the computer screen. “I was…. I felt lonely and I was with another guy… just once and… and I told Kurt and now… we’re over. He won’t talk to me. He even came to Grease and he wouldn’t… he couldn’t talk to me. Or look at me. I messed up so bad, Coop. It’s all my fault.”

Blaine felt as broken as his voice sounded, cracking at every other word.

“Oh, Blainey… no it isn’t.”

Blaine’s head shot up. “What?”

“It’s not all your fault. Sure, you screwed up, but you’re human.”

“But I… I ruined it. I ruined my relationship with Kurt and-“

“No, Blaine. You made a mistake. A pretty bad one, sure. But it takes two to tango, kid, and it sounds like Kurt’s dancing, too.”

“What?”

“Blaine, why did you cheat?”

“I… I felt… alone. Like, no one was listening; no one was here. Kurt was so busy with his internship and so focused on New York and we never spoke and I just… I just needed to feel… I needed to feel.”

“So you still love Kurt?”

“Of course!” Blaine answered indignantly. “Always. He’s my soulmate.”

“So you only cheated because you guys were already having problems. Problems that neither of you were addressing. That includes Kurt.”

“Wait… how do you know about this kind of stuff? You haven’t had a girlfriend in years.”

“I watch a lot of daytime TV, B. Anyway, you said Kurt hasn’t talk to you? Or let you explain?”

“No…. But I broke his heart, Coop.” 

“Yeah, and your own. Sure, you made a mistake, but that didn’t ruin the relationship. Not talking to each other, that ruins the relationship.”

“Why… why are you being so nice to me in all this?”

Cooper sighed. “Because I’m your brother, Blaine. It sounds like no one’s been on your side. Sounds like someone needs to listen to your side of this and be there for you. So I need to. I’ll  **always**  be on your side, B.”

Blaine sagged in his seat, tears once again prickling at his eyes.

“Cooper…”

“And look, I saw the way that you and Kurt looked at each other back in the spring, and the way you two talked about each other all summer. He loves you. He’ll come around. And if he doesn’t? Come to L.A. and I’ll help you find a guy who’ll treat you better. Got it, B?”

Blaine smiled. “Sure, Coop. But he’s it for me.”

“I know, B. Unless Captain America is available.”

Blaine grinned. “Obviously.”

“Alright!” Cooper clapped his hands, rubbing them together in excitement. “I know exactly what you’re gonna dress as!” He typed quickly, sending Blaine an image link.

“Nightwing?”

“Totally! Former sidekick who makes it on his own after Batman dumps him-“

“Fires him.”

“-Same thing. Plus he’s the closest the Bat heroes get to being like Superman or Cap. And lots of people judge him, but he’s actually one of the greatest heroes in his world. He lead the Teen Titans, you know.”

Blaine’s smile grew. “I know. I did listen to you a bit growing up.”

“Just a bit?”

“So Nightwing?

“Yes. But with a cape.”

“Coop, a cape? Really?”

“Capes are cool!” Cooper admonished, pointing at the screen.

“Ok, sure. But it’s not really Nightwing if he’s got a cape.”

“So you’re someone new. Someone just for you.” Cooper shrugged.

Blaine stopped to consider. A black and dark blue costume. A cape billowing behind him like wings. Like a bird. He remembered a song nearly two years before, a song about that came from grief but spoke about pushing through to freedom, to finding yourself. A song that led to the greatest thing in his life. He smiled.

“Nightbird.”

“Nightbird. I like it. When do you need to have the costume by?”

“Not sure. I’m gonna go work on it right now, though. Thanks for the help, Cooper.”

“Anytime, little brother. And Blaine… you’re gonna be okay, you know?”

 Blaine smiled sadly. “I…I know, Coop.”

“And don’t wait so long to call me again, Squirt. We’re friends, remember?”

“Okay, Coop.” 

He ended the call, feeling a little lighter but also immediately missing his brother’s presence.

So the next evening, after putting away his Nightbird costume, when he opened the front door to find Cooper standing on the porch, he fell into his brother’s arms without question.

“What are you doing here, Coop?” Blaine asked into his brother’s chest.

“Even heroes need support, Blainey. You looked like you needed the hug.” He squeezed his little brother, holding him tight. “Now c’mon, show me that awesome costume I inspired.” 

Blaine laughed. “Of course.”


End file.
